IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i22p11746-d675333.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Does Urban Green Space Impact Residents’ Mental Health: A Literature Review of Mediators

Author

Listed:
  • Kaili Chen

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    National Academy of Economics and Trade for Forestry and Grassland, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Tianzheng Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    National Academy of Economics and Trade for Forestry and Grassland, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Fangyuan Liu

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    National Academy of Economics and Trade for Forestry and Grassland, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Yingjie Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
    National Academy of Economics and Trade for Forestry and Grassland, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Yan Song

    (The Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

Abstract

In recent years, the interest in the relationship between urban green space and residents’ mental health has gradually risen. A number of researchers have investigated the causal relationship and possible mediators between the two, although few have summarized these mediators. For this reason, we searched for relevant studies and filtered them by criteria and quality score, and analyzed the mediators and paths of the impact of urban green space on residents’ mental health. The mediators can be divided into environmental factors, outdoor activity, and social cohesion. From the perspective of heterogeneity, both individual characteristics (e.g., age and gender) and group characteristics (e.g., level of urban development and urban density) of residents are considered to be the cause of various mediating effects. Types of urban green space tend to affect residents’ mental health through different paths. Furthermore, this review discusses the details of each part under the influence paths. Finally, the policy implications for urban green space planning from three mediator levels are put forward based on an analysis of the situation in different countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaili Chen & Tianzheng Zhang & Fangyuan Liu & Yingjie Zhang & Yan Song, 2021. "How Does Urban Green Space Impact Residents’ Mental Health: A Literature Review of Mediators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-27, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:11746-:d:675333
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/11746/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/22/11746/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kirsten M. M. Beyer & Andrea Kaltenbach & Aniko Szabo & Sandra Bogar & F. Javier Nieto & Kristen M. Malecki, 2014. "Exposure to Neighborhood Green Space and Mental Health: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Greiner, K. Allen & Li, Chaoyang & Kawachi, Ichiro & Hunt, D. Charles & Ahluwalia, Jasjit S., 2004. "The relationships of social participation and community ratings to health and health behaviors in areas with high and low population density," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(11), pages 2303-2312, December.
    3. Norimasa Takayama & Takeshi Morikawa & Ernest Bielinis, 2019. "Relation between Psychological Restorativeness and Lifestyle, Quality of Life, Resilience, and Stress-Coping in Forest Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-21, April.
    4. Kondo, M.C. & Low, S.C. & Henning, J. & Branas, C.C., 2015. "The impact of green stormwater infrastructure installation on surrounding health and safety," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(3), pages 114-121.
    5. Norimasa Takayama & Kalevi Korpela & Juyoung Lee & Takeshi Morikawa & Yuko Tsunetsugu & Bum-Jin Park & Qing Li & Liisa Tyrväinen & Yoshifumi Miyazaki & Takahide Kagawa, 2014. "Emotional, Restorative and Vitalizing Effects of Forest and Urban Environments at Four Sites in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-24, July.
    6. Zheng Tan & Kevin Ka-Lun Lau & Adam Charles Roberts & Stessa Tzu-Yuan Chao & Edward Ng, 2019. "Designing Urban Green Spaces for Older Adults in Asian Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-23, November.
    7. Stephanie L. Orstad & Kristin Szuhany & Kosuke Tamura & Lorna E. Thorpe & Melanie Jay, 2020. "Park Proximity and Use for Physical Activity among Urban Residents: Associations with Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-13, July.
    8. J. Pretty & J. Peacock & R. Hine & M. Sellens & N. South & M. Griffin, 2007. "Green exercise in the UK countryside: Effects on health and psychological well-being, and implications for policy and planning," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(2), pages 211-231.
    9. Gert-Jan Vanaken & Marina Danckaerts, 2018. "Impact of Green Space Exposure on Children’s and Adolescents’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, November.
    10. Razieh Zandieh & Javier Martinez & Johannes Flacke, 2019. "Older Adults’ Outdoor Walking and Inequalities in Neighbourhood Green Spaces Characteristics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-18, November.
    11. Wei-Lun Tsai & Melissa R. McHale & Viniece Jennings & Oriol Marquet & J. Aaron Hipp & Yu-Fai Leung & Myron F. Floyd, 2018. "Relationships between Characteristics of Urban Green Land Cover and Mental Health in U.S. Metropolitan Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-12, February.
    12. Mireia Gascon & Margarita Triguero-Mas & David Martínez & Payam Dadvand & Joan Forns & Antoni Plasència & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, 2015. "Mental Health Benefits of Long-Term Exposure to Residential Green and Blue Spaces: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, April.
    13. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo & Angelia Sia & Anna Fogel & Roger Ho, 2020. "Can Exposure to Certain Urban Green Spaces Trigger Frontal Alpha Asymmetry in the Brain?—Preliminary Findings from a Passive Task EEG Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-10, January.
    14. Chongxian Chen & Weijing Luo & Ning Kang & Haiwei Li & Xiaohao Yang & Yu Xia, 2020. "Study on the Impact of Residential Outdoor Environments on Mood in the Elderly in Guangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, May.
    15. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Nikolaos M. Fyllas & George P. Chrousos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2021. "Engaging the Senses: The Association of Urban Green Space with General Health and Well-Being in Urban Residents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-15, June.
    16. Annemarie Ruijsbroek & Mariël Droomers & Hanneke Kruize & Elise Van Kempen & Christopher J. Gidlow & Gemma Hurst & Sandra Andrusaityte & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen & Jolanda Maas & Wim Hardyns & Karien St, 2017. "Does the Health Impact of Exposure to Neighbourhood Green Space Differ between Population Groups? An Explorative Study in Four European Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-15, June.
    17. Hyun Jin Lee & Dong Kun Lee, 2019. "Do Sociodemographic Factors and Urban Green Space Affect Mental Health Outcomes Among the Urban Elderly Population?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, March.
    18. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    19. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Maiko Kobayashi & Takashi Miura & Masao Taue & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Effect of Forest Walking on Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Middle-Aged Hypertensive Individuals: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, March.
    20. Zhiyong Wang & Tixing Yang & Helin Liu & Man Yuan & Ji Luo & Chun Li, 2019. "Evaluation and Dynamic Mechanism of Ecological Space in a Densely Urbanized Region During a Rapidly Growing Period—A Case Study of the Wu-E-Huang-Huang Metropolitan Interlocking Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    21. Yijun Zhang & Suzanne Mavoa & Jinfeng Zhao & Deborah Raphael & Melody Smith, 2020. "The Association between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-26, September.
    22. Michelle C. Kondo & Jaime M. Fluehr & Thomas McKeon & Charles C. Branas, 2018. "Urban Green Space and Its Impact on Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, March.
    23. Masahiro Horiuchi & Junko Endo & Norimasa Takayama & Kazutaka Murase & Norio Nishiyama & Haruo Saito & Akio Fujiwara, 2014. "Impact of Viewing vs . Not Viewing a Real Forest on Physiological and Psychological Responses in the Same Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-19, October.
    24. Man Yuan & Mingrui Yan & Zhuoran Shan, 2021. "Is Compact Urban Form Good for Air Quality? A Case Study from China Based on Hourly Smartphone Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-14, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Siruo Qu & Ruochen Ma, 2024. "Exploring Multi-Sensory Approaches for Psychological Well-Being in Urban Green Spaces: Evidence from Edinburgh’s Diverse Urban Environments," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, September.
    2. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Maria Lydia Vardaka & Chrisovaladis Malesios & Zainab Jamidu Katima & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2024. "Can Campus Green Spaces Be Restorative? A Case Study from Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Sultan Alamri, 2024. "Spatial Analysis and GIS Mapping of Public Parks Adequacy: A Case Study from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Adriano Bressane & Maria Eduarda Guedes Ferreira & Ana Júlia da Silva Garcia & Líliam César de Castro Medeiros, 2024. "Is Having Urban Green Space in the Neighborhood Enough to Make a Difference? Insights for Healthier City Design," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(7), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Anna Staniewska, 2022. "Gardens of Historic Mental Health Hospitals and Their Potential Use for Green Therapy Purposes," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-23, September.
    6. Ayman Imam & Eradah O. Hamad, 2023. "Tweets of Transformation: Investigating Tactical Urbanism and Social Interactions in Jeddah’s Colorful Corniche Initiative," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-19, September.
    7. Bąkowska-Waldmann Edyta & Piniarski Witold, 2023. "Gender-Specific Preferences Regarding Urban Green Areas," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 42(4), pages 23-41, December.
    8. Yonatal Tefera & Veronica Soebarto & Courtney Bishop & John Kandulu & Carmel Williams, 2023. "A Scoping Review of Urban Planning Decision Support Tools and Processes That Account for the Health, Environment, and Economic Benefits of Trees and Greenspace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-28, December.
    9. Zheng Xian & Tomoki Nakaya & Kun Liu & Bing Zhao & Junhua Zhang & Jiao Zhang & Yuxuan Lin & Jinguang Zhang, 2024. "The effects of neighbourhood green spaces on mental health of disadvantaged groups: a systematic review," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, December.
    10. Barbara Gherri, 2023. "The Role of Urban Vegetation in Counteracting Overheating in Different Urban Textures," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-15, November.
    11. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    12. Qin Li & Shaomin Peng & Zonghao Chen & Han Du & Yijun Liu & Wenlong Li, 2024. "Resilience Evaluation and Renovation Strategies of Public Spaces in Old Communities from a Disaster-Adaptive Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-19, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xialu Wu & Yu-Sheng Shen & Shenghui Cui, 2023. "Global Trends in Green Space and Senior Mental Health Studies: Bibliometric Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-12, January.
    2. Charlotte Wendelboe-Nelson & Sarah Kelly & Marion Kennedy & John W. Cherrie, 2019. "A Scoping Review Mapping Research on Green Space and Associated Mental Health Benefits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-49, June.
    3. Phi-Yen Nguyen & Thomas Astell-Burt & Hania Rahimi-Ardabili & Xiaoqi Feng, 2021. "Green Space Quality and Health: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-38, October.
    4. Kathleen L. Wolf & Sharon T. Lam & Jennifer K. McKeen & Gregory R.A. Richardson & Matilda van den Bosch & Adrina C. Bardekjian, 2020. "Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-30, June.
    5. Matthew H. E. M. Browning & Alessandro Rigolon, 2018. "Do Income, Race and Ethnicity, and Sprawl Influence the Greenspace-Human Health Link in City-Level Analyses? Findings from 496 Cities in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-22, July.
    6. Yiyi Chen & Mark Stephens & Colin A. Jones, 2019. "Does Residents’ Satisfaction with the Neighbourhood Environment Relate to Residents’ Self-Rated Health? Evidence from Beijing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Amber L. Pearson & Catherine D. Brown & Aaron Reuben & Natalie Nicholls & Karin A. Pfeiffer & Kimberly A. Clevenger, 2023. "Elementary Classroom Views of Nature Are Associated with Lower Child Externalizing Behavior Problems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-14, April.
    8. Lisa Dandolo & Klaus Telkmann & Christina Hartig & Sophie Horstmann & Sara Pedron & Lars Schwettmann & Peter Selsam & Alexandra Schneider & Gabriele Bolte & on behalf of the INGER Study Group, 2023. "Do Multiple Sex/Gender Dimensions Play a Role in the Association of Green Space and Self-Rated Health? Model-Based Recursive Partitioning Results from the KORA INGER Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-23, March.
    9. Insook Lee & Heeseung Choi & Kyung-Sook Bang & Sungjae Kim & MinKyung Song & Buhyun Lee, 2017. "Effects of Forest Therapy on Depressive Symptoms among Adults: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Yijun Zhang & Suzanne Mavoa & Jinfeng Zhao & Deborah Raphael & Melody Smith, 2020. "The Association between Green Space and Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-26, September.
    11. Elizabeth P.D. Koselka & Lucy C. Weidner & Arseniy Minasov & Marc G. Berman & William R. Leonard & Marianne V. Santoso & Junia N. de Brito & Zachary C. Pope & Mark A. Pereira & Teresa H. Horton, 2019. "Walking Green: Developing an Evidence Base for Nature Prescriptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-18, November.
    12. Xinrui Wang & Libin Ouyang & Jian Lin & Pengfei An & Wanjing Wang & Lin Liu & Longfeng Wu, 2023. "Spatial Patterns of Urban Green-Blue Spaces and Residents’ Well-Being: The Mediating Effect of Neighborhood Social Cohesion," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-15, July.
    13. Song Song & Ruoxiang Tu & Yao Lu & Shi Yin & Hankun Lin & Yiqiang Xiao, 2022. "Restorative Effects from Green Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Control Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-22, November.
    14. Michelle C. Kondo & Jaime M. Fluehr & Thomas McKeon & Charles C. Branas, 2018. "Urban Green Space and Its Impact on Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, March.
    15. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    16. Xue Zhang & Suhong Zhou & Rongping Lin & Lingling Su, 2020. "Relationship between Long-Term Residential Green Exposure and Individuals’ Mental Health: Moderated by Income Differences and Residential Location in Urban China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-21, December.
    17. Ao Wang & Ziran Meng & Bing Zhao & Fan Zhang, 2024. "Using Social Media Data to Research the Impact of Campus Green Spaces on Students’ Emotions: A Case Study of Nanjing Campuses," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-16, January.
    18. Yunlong Niu & Mastura Adam & Hazreena Hussein, 2022. "Connecting Urban Green Spaces with Children: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-23, August.
    19. Vanessa Natalie Frey & Patrick Benjamin Langthaler & Martin Josef Huf & Günter Gruber & Thomas Prinz & Ludmilla Kedenko & Bernhard Iglseder & Bernhard Paulweber & Eugen Trinka, 2024. "Stress and the City: Mental Health in Urbanized vs. Rural Areas in Salzburg, Austria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-20, October.
    20. Zheng Xian & Tomoki Nakaya & Kun Liu & Bing Zhao & Junhua Zhang & Jiao Zhang & Yuxuan Lin & Jinguang Zhang, 2024. "The effects of neighbourhood green spaces on mental health of disadvantaged groups: a systematic review," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:11746-:d:675333. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.